Learners: Activity 2
Compare the learners
Look at the tables below that summarize in detail the individuals’ characteristics, some of which were discussed in Learners Activity 1. The information in the tables was provided both in the videos and in later interviews with us. Write about ways the two learners are the same or different, and whether these individual differences might be expected to affect the way they learn Korean.
| Sophia | Anna B | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 28 Began studying Korean at age 25 |
23 Began studying Korean at age 21 |
| Native language | English | English |
| Native Country | USA | USA |
| Other language | Spanish | French |
| Studied Korean | One year in college | Two years in college |
| Current occupation | College student | College student |
| Focus/area of study | Anthropology |
Asian languages and literatures |
| Education | Bachelors degree in teaching English as a foreign language, currently pursuing another undergraduate degree | Junior undergraduate |
| Experiences in Korea | Lived in Korea 2 years. Studied Korean at YMCA for 1 year and with a private teacher for 3 months. | None |
| Relationship with conversational partner | Classmates | Classmates |
| Korean outside of class | Use Korean with a language partner in the U.S. | Use Korean with a roommate who is learning Korean in the same class Listen to Korean pop music |
Please type your answers to the questions in the box below.
When you have finished typing your answer, click to compare your response with the Learner Language staff response.
These two learners share a native language, English. When they do not have vocabulary in Korean, they might choose to switch to English. Both of them have studied other foreign languages before starting Korean. Sophia has teaching experience, so she might be able to play the role of a teacher when she scaffolds her conversation partner. Also, she has lived in Korea for two years, so she might know some uninstructed vocabulary or expressions. On the other hand, Anna B has decided to major in Asian languages. She likes listening to Korean pop-music and tries to use Korean outside of the classroom, .e.g. talking with her roommate in Korean. This means that she could have opportunities to practice what she learned in class, so she might be able to use instructed expressions well.
The fact that Sophia is 5 years older than Anna B, has been a teacher, and lived in Korea for 2 years might cause Anna B to defer to Sophia in conversations in Korean. If we consider Sophia and Anna B’s differences in personal traits, age, professional background, and exposure to Korean society, we might predict that Sophia is prone to speak more than Anna B in pair work.
